Obon
by Nicolle
Summary: After an odd request, Kenshin finds himself in Kawagoe for the Festival of the Dead.
1. An Odd Request

Obon

By: Nicolle L. Brandle

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note:  The story below is written in E-Prime.  In other words, I don't use the verb 'to be.'  Am, is, are, was, were, been, being, and become have found no place in the story.  The idea behind writing in E-Prime is to force the writer into writing in an active rather than passive voice, and there by making the words used less static.  The only place I have let the E-Prime slide is in the actual dialogue.  People don't speak without using 'to be.'  If you catch any mistakes, let me know.  If you think the concept is interesting, try writing in E-Prime.  Even if you don't like it, it will improve your vocabulary as you try to find new ways to say old things.  Also, Giamona-san belongs to me.

Himura Kenshin carried a small, wooden bucket laden with miso, salt, rice, and fish toward home, waving hello's to the neighbors as he passed. Nearing the dojo, his ki awakened, alerting him to the presence of an all too familiar foe. Strangely enough, the presence in question was hardly threatening. The red-headed wanderer came to a halt outside the dojo gates.

"Saitou."

The officer dropped his cigarette, posture completely relaxed. "Still no respect, eh?"

"I only respect those who deserve it."

Kaoru crashed through the gate. "Kenshin! Where have you...?"

Saitou caught the gate before it smashed into him and Kaoru, shinai still in hand from practice, took a stance.

Kenshin put his hand on her shoulder. "Miss Kaoru..."

"What business do _you_ have here?"

Saitou let go of the gate. "If we could step inside...?"

Kenshin uncharacteristically pushed Kaoru inside the gate. The movement shocked her enough that she didn't argue, and made her way back into the dojo. Saitou followed her and Kenshin stared after him.

_He's... frightened?  _Kenshin shook the thought out of his head and went inside.

Saitou sat on the edge of the porch, lounging against the nearest pole. Kenshin sat across from him. Kaoru and Yahiko slipped into the room nearest them and leaned against the rice paper in order to hear the conversation. Saitou glanced at the wall briefly.

"I've come to ask a favor."

Kenshin's posture perked up, wary.

"The government changed my current assignment for the next two weeks. I would like you to stay with Tokio while I am gone."

"You sense danger."

Saitou's ki suddenly changed and he looked worried. He spoke in a low voice, "The coming festival fills me with dread."

Kenshin lowered his head thinking. He knew Saitou well. Saitou did not spook easily. He looked up again. "You know of no reason for concern?"

"Just this odd feeling." Saitou stood, dusting off his perfectly pressed, foreign pants. "All of your friends are invited, of course. It is a holiday after all." He turned to Kenshin. "Will you do this?"

Kenshin nodded and Saitou handed him an envelope before disappearing through the gate. Kaoru and Yahiko pushed the door aside and rushed the red-headed wanderer. Kenshin's impact with the ground went unnoticed as Kaoru and Yahiko huddled around the letter stolen from his hand.

"Saitou lives there? Who'd have thought?" Kaoru mused.

"Who's Tokio? I hope she's not a hag like you!"

"Why you little...!"

The two ran off in the other direction, the letter forgotten. It floated, feather-like, through the air and landed on Kenshin, twitching from the latest abuse.

"Oro...?"

Kawagoe, Japan

Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, Sanosuke, and Megumi stood before a large white home with thick walls of wattle and clay. The house sported tiny windows with heavy green shutters, made to seal shut in the event of a fire. The steep roof covered itself with immense, rust-colored onigawara. The massive fire-proofing of the house reflected the fear many of the Kawagoe residents still felt after the great fire of 1893. Thick walls surrounded the house, trapping the immense gardens inside. 

The house boasted three parlors in the front, two converted into guest rooms. The back of the house possessed two bedrooms, a storeroom, workroom, and dining room. The parlors displayed large ink paintings of mountains and trees. The inner rooms decorated themselves in green silks, soft and lovely. The gardens surrounding the house bloomed in gorgeous emerald greens and shining golds.

The wooden gate stood open, allowing passerby to glimpse the beauty inside, and a young man in a very plain blue kimono sat on a stool within, awaiting the arrival of the guests. "Himura-san!" He leapt from his seat, bowing respectfully.

"Eiji! You've grown a lot since we last met. Do you like Kawagoe?" Kenshin asked with a happy smile.

Sanosuke looked around. "I don't get it. Nothing seems out of the ordinary." Kaoru nodded, perplexed.

A young woman in a simple green kimono dotted with embroidered purple butterflies shuffled forward from inside. Her hair twisted in a complicated knot on the top of her head, framing a soft, porcelain delicate face. Her dainty fingers curved gently around a parasol decorated with swallows. The parasol twirled behind her in a girlish way, making the swallows look as if they could fly. She bowed politely and everyone returned the gesture with the exception of Sanosuke whose eyes were still roaming the property. The woman smiled humbly.

"Hiramata Tokio," she said by way of introduction, "and it pleases me very much that you've accepted my husband's invitation to visit for the festival. Please come inside."

Kaoru's, Sanosuke's, and Yahiko's jaws hit the dirt road.

"Husband...?" Kaoru whispered under her breath. She grabbed Kenshin by his gi as the woman turned to lead the way inside. "Saitou?! Married?!"

Kenshin nodded with his patented wanderer's smile, following the young woman inside. Eiji motioned everyone in after her. Inside, the sweet smell of the gardens gently floated on the breeze, reaching out to noses and turning heads. Amidst the flowers sat two young girls, one with a baby boy in her lap, busily painting lanterns for the festival. The girls bowed politely when the group passed.

"Your children?" Megumi ventured.

Tokio nodded as she led them inside the house.

"They appear to take after you," Kenshin said.

"Don't let them fool you, Himura-san. Fumiyo and Kirie share their father's cunning. Matsusuke, though still yet a babe, shows all signs of taking after his father." Both girls, upon seeing Yahiko, quickly leaned into each other to whisper, evil gleams in their eyes.

"I'd like to thank you for hospitality, Hiramata-san, but do you have any idea why your husband worries so?" Kenshin asked as they seated themselves in the first parlor of the house. A young serving girl entered with tea, bowing to everyone as she stepped inside.

Tokio waved off the question as she closed her parasol. "My husband worries too much. But I lack for company." The servant leaned forward and whispered into her ear. She smiled. "When you finish your tea, Koji will show you to the guest bathhouse and your rooms." The young girl bowed again. 

An odd ki approached the gates of the house. Kenshin looked over his shoulder, attempting to discern what it meant. Tokio's eyes flicked suddenly to the door. She turned to Eiji. "Would you please meet Giamona-san at the gate and let her know that Fumiyo and Kirie will visit family during the festival?"

Eiji nodded and jumped to his feet.

"He seems to have found some peace here," Kenshin noted.

Tokio nodded. "He's grown a lot and the girls' influence on him seems to have softened his edges. Fumiyo painted a lantern for his family. She's a much better painter than he."

A cacophony of giggles erupted from the gardens and Tokio off handedly pushed the rice paper wall aside, revealing a porch and a beautiful view not only of the gardens, but of the misty mountains beyond. Eiji sat in front of the girls, pouting, his face painted to look like a cat. A young western woman in a bright pink kimono sat behind him, with her hand on his shoulder while the girls had their fun. Her hair, a dark brown, twisted in an odd braid on the top of her head. Her eyes gleamed an unusual hazel. Noticing the slide of the door, the woman smiled and bowed to Tokio.

Kenshin's violet eyes narrowed, attempting to discern why the woman would emanate such an odd ki. The woman walked over to the porch and held out a small bag. "The fennel you asked for. If you need anything during the festival, just let me know." She bowed again before going back to the girls.

"I've met westerners before, but she doesn't have an accent at all," Megumi said.

"Giamona-san hails from America. She comes from one of the great merchant families of Europe. She told me once that as a child, she lived in a town filled with Japanese immigrants escaping the revolution." Tokio took a sip of her tea. "She teaches English and math to the children."

"What an odd ki," Kaoru said, "I've never felt anything like it."

Tokio nodded. "Giamona-san said she took after her grandmother when my husband mentioned it. She and her family little like other westerners. In fact, I've seen many of them shun her. I believe it stems from a Christian prejudice. Many of the missionaries fear her and the converts who live here refuse to buy any of her family's goods. But her honor and kindness has left nothing but gratitude in her wake. I've never detected any evil in her." Tokio stood and bowed politely. "If you'll excuse me, I have several things to prepare for the festival."

Dinner and evening passed uneventfully. Night slipped over the horizon as Tokio and Giamona-san said their goodbyes at the gate, waving to the girls as she left. Kenshin and Kaoru sat on the guest's porch, watching the sky turn a thick black.

"I don't get it, Kenshin."

"Oro?"

"What's so wrong with this place? I mean, that woman had a pretty weird ki, but other than that, I don't see why Saitou cares."

Kenshin sipped his tea. "Neither do I, but Saitou would never give up his privacy like this unless he had a reason. We'll wait and see."

Yahiko ran screaming out of the third parlor where he, Sanosuke, and Kenshin were spending the night. "IT BURNS!!! IT BURNS!!! IT BURNS!!!"

Tokio's voice could be heard echoing off the mountain. "FUMIYO! KIRIE!"


	2. Feast of the Dead

"Does your back feel better, Yahiko?" Tokio asked at breakfast.

"Yeah. What did they do to me?"

"From the smell, I'd say cinnamon extract on your blanket."

"Oh man it hurt!" He rubbed his back.

"Fear not. There shall be no sweets for them today."

"But--" Kirie started.

"No." Tokio gave them both a stern look. "Apologize to Yahiko."

Both girls made a face before saying, "Sorry," in unison.

"Just don't do it again, ok? Geez..."

Koji came into the room and bowed. "I've finished putting out the new mats."

"Thank you very much, Koji-chan. Have a good day with your family." 

The girl practically beamed. "Hai!" She ran out the door and through the gate. 

Eiji brushed Koji as she ran out and both blushed while stammering apologies. "Hiramata-san, I've hung the all the house lanterns at the gate."

"Very good, Eiji." She stood with a warm smile. "Let us go."

Sanosuke, laden with the packages of food and offerings, led the way to the cemetery. "You know, it's a good thing your family's ohaka in the same cemetery as Hiramata-san's, Jou-chan, or I'd make you carry all this yourself."

Kaoru stuck her tongue out at him. "Whatever, free-loader." 

The cemetery filled with families, all in the middle of impromptu reunions. The aroma of the offerings on the graves and on the altars mixed with the smell of the incense swelling into large clouds of smoke above everyone's heads. The Bon Odori music began and festival goers, young and old, rushed forward to dance. Kenshin sat back with Sanosuke and enjoyed the rare event of Megumi and Kaoru getting along. Tokio and her children met with distant relatives, while Eiji made offering for his parents and brother at an altar.

Exhausted, everyone slouched home as evening came, treating themselves to a small dinner of rice and miso before crawling into bed. As the sun slipped away, Eiji lit the lanterns at the gate. Bit by bit, more lights appeared, and village began to glow. Kenshin sat on the guest's porch, enjoying the soft glimmer of the lanterns and the warm night. Eiji sat next to him.

"Do you like it here?" Kenshin asked.

Eiji nodded. "Hiramata-san treats me like her own son. I think you were right when you said she had to be a bodhisattva." He fell silent, thinking to himself. "I don't know why Saitou-sama worries about her so much. Then again, Hiramata-san hurts for company. I guess any excuse to make her happy."

Kenshin remained silent, remembering Saitou's obvious nervousness. "Whatever the reason, its better to be safe than sorry," he said, "You better get to bed. Tomorrow promises to be hotter than today and a lot longer."

"Hai." Eiji disappeared around the corner. Kenshin leaned back against the post and closed his eyes, feeling out the area with his ki, before going to sleep. Late in the night, Kenshin felt the press of the spirits as the ghosts of family entered the gardens. He shifted, trying to open his eyes, found he couldn't, and groaned. He felt a soft hand lay on his head and he fell into a deep, relaxing sleep.

The next day found a world filled with vendors and wild ghost stories chilling the bones of children. Kaoru spent the day dragging Kenshin around to talk with aunts and uncles. Sanosuke tormented Yahiko, while Megumi searched the market, looking for the western woman.

The Giamona family shop carried western clothing and trinkets, but mostly food stuffs. The business looked swift for the festival as many wanted to treat their deceased relatives to offerings of western food. The doctor waved the young woman over to her.

"Good afternoon! May I help you?" she asked cheerfully, Japanese impeccable.

"Actually, I wanted to know why Hiramata-san wanted fennel."

The woman looked confused for a second, before blinking the look away. "Oh! One of Hiramata-san's visitors for the festival!" She put her hand to her chest, while looking at the floor and sighing in an odd gesture of relaxation. "Well, Hiramata-san asked what a westerner used to physically touch ghosts. Drinking fennel tea makes the ghost solid to you. In fact, my great grand father owns a sword that cooled in water mixed with strained fennel tea. I suppose she just wants to touch the spirits while they visit for the festival."

Megumi thanked the woman and wandered off into the busy streets, almost running over Sanosuke. "Watch it, vixen! What's the rush?"

"Huh? Oh. Sorry, rooster-head. Just looking for Ken-san," she said while ducking around a corner. Sanosuke grumbled under his breath and hefted a green looking Yahiko over his shoulder.

* * *

Sanosuke slipped off the next day, careful to leave the group behind in a crush of people. After dodging through the crowd for an hour, he found the shop. The old man behind the small desk looked up at the tall, fighter for higher.

"And what crest do you want on your lantern?" he asked, scratching his chin.

"Same as the one on my back," Sanosuke replied.

The man simply nodded and painted the kanji for evil on the lantern. He spoke as he painted, "By your look, I assume you have no money to pay for this."

Sanosuke raised a hand to the back of his head and put on his biggest, good-boy grin. "What would make you think that?"

The old man shook his head and handed the lantern to Sanosuke. "I give this to you as a gift for Sagara-sama."

Sanosuke's hand dropped and he stared at the man in utter disbelief.

The old man smiled. "Some us know the truth and appreciate what the Sekihou Tai tried to do."

Sanosuke took the lantern, too stunned to even stammer thanks. Forging his way through the throng of festival goers, he made his way back to the cemetery and hung the lantern. Grabbing the nearest unwatched offerings, Sanosuke laid them on an altar and let himself pray. When finished, he rose and spotted Kenshin standing next to him. The wanderer's smiled and patted Sanosuke on the back as they made their way back to Tokio's dwelling.

Fireworks permeated the night sky. Flashes of the blue, white, red, and orange screamed across the heavens, delighting the inhabitants of Kawagoe and its many visitors. Laughing in delight, Fumiyo and Kirie ran around with sparklers, pink yukatas blowing in the easy breeze. Kenshin, satisfied that all seemed well, went to the third parlor, which currently doubled as his lodging. Laying back, he propelled his ki over the house and gardens, searching for the cause of Saitou's worry. The spirits playfully pushed back on his energy and he sat bolt up right when he heard Udou Jin'eh laughing.

A chill broke over the wandered and he clutched his sword, breathing quickly. A hand touched his shoulder and a swift wave of calm sucked him under. He laid back and espied a face found only in the most intimate of dreams before falling asleep.

* * *

Yahiko stood over the girls in the early morning sun as they gazed up at his impertinent stance with amused smiles that would do their father proud. 

"And what would Yahiko-chan want from us?" Fumiyo asked, smirk hidden behind a small fan.

"Would you drop the 'chan?' I need you to paint a lantern for me."

"And what might we get out of it?" Kirie asked.

"My not telling your mother about the two of you sneaking sake yesterday," Yahiko replied as he folded his arms over his chest.

Both girls pursed their lips in frustration. "Fine," Fumiyo said, "But we want candy."

"Done," Yahiko said.

"What do you want painted on the lantern?" Kirie asked.

"The Myojin family crest."

Fumiyo thought about it and painted it on a piece of rice paper in front of her. "Like that?" Yahiko nodded. She mused over the doodle a while. "The lantern shall be ready on the delivery of the candy."

Yahiko ran off, in search of Kaoru. He stumbled on his master in the cemetery near her family's ohaka. He put on his best smile and most polite manners and showed himself off to Kaoru's distant relations. The first apprentice of Kamiya Kaoru of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu walked away with candy and a bit of money in his pocket to boot. He ran back and made the trade.  The lantern, neatly painted, suspended from the line with nine others. Yahiko watched it for a while, trying to remember his parents. When he realized that his memory had long since commenced the long road of fading, he prayed that his parents' spirits might visit him, so he wouldn't forget their loving faces.

* * *

The days passed quickly with only the soft glow of the lanterns and the press of the spirits at night. Kenshin sat across from Tokio, sipping tea while enjoying the end of the day and the last night of the festival. The lanterns made the village a happy glowing light, dotting the landscape of Japan. Tokio strained fennel from her tea while watching the sky blush with the evenings calm. Something flicked against the edge of Kenshin's ki and he looked toward the gate. It hung open in anticipation. The wind kicked up and Kenshin shivered in the sudden icy cold. 

Unsure of the feeling, he moved to check the guest rooms, unaware of Tokio's eyes watching the gate guardedly. Kaoru and Megumi were fast asleep and unmolested in their shared room. Kenshin froze, suddenly aware of the absence of the warm press of the spirits. His hand touched the sliding door to the room he shared with Sanosuke and Yahiko, and experienced a sudden blast of icy air. He thrust the door away and, instead of a painting filled parlor, found himself in Kyoto, Tomoe stretched out in a pool of blood in front of him.

His heart pounding, Kenshin reached for her, only to have her body slip through his hands. She faded and appeared again, surrounded by the ghostly figures of old foes. Outnumbered by a sudden army of rotting corpses, Kenshin drew his sword, only to find every strike passed right through. The ghostly legion advanced and every hit felt like the strike of icy, blue fire. He backed away, unaware of his surroundings and his foot slipped off the edge of the guest's porch, sending him with a crash into a bush.

The household and guests suddenly appeared looking at a covering Kenshin and an army of rotting, ghost ghouls. Tokio, very calmly, took the sword from Kenshin's hand and threw her tea on it. She handed the cup to the nearest person before lifting the sword and flipping the blade. With a mighty yell, Tokio brought the sword across in a swipe at the ghostly intruders. The first line disappeared as she jumped into the middle and sent the rest back to hell with a quick spin. She turned and walked out of the room while Sanosuke and Kaoru helped Kenshin up. 

Tokio flicked the blade, sending the remnants of the tea flying to the ground. She handed the sword to Kenshin. "As I said, my husband worries too much."

* * *

Everyone stood together at the gate, saying their goodbyes as the sun rose into the sky. 

"Thank you very much for your visit," Tokio said.

"Thank you for saving Ken-san," Megumi said.

"I didn't know you could use a sword," Eiji said.

Tokio smiled. "I'm the wife of Hajime Saitou. Of course I can use a sword." She turned to Kenshin. "Did you enjoy a good night's rest, Himura-san?"

Kenshin rubbed the back of his head, wanderer's smile in place. "I slept well enough, I suppose. Thank you for saving me from the ghosts, and I am terribly sorry about the bush, Hiramata-san."

"Think nothing of it. The bush suffered no damaged and the ghosts will not return. In fact, it was all rather interesting. It's usually so boring around here. It's nice to have a change of pace."

The Kenshin-gumi, with the exception of Sanosuke, bowed. "Thank you for having us as your honored guests, but we must be on our way home," Kaoru said and they began their journey.

"I don't get it," Yahiko said as they moved done the street, "How did Hiramata-san hit the ghosts when Kenshin couldn't?"

"The tea," Megumi said, "Giamona-san said that westerns use fennel as a way to touch ghosts. Apparently, Hiramata-san intended to use the tea for just such a purpose."

Sanosuke elbowed Kenshin. "You're quiet. Whatcha thinkin'?" Everyone looked at Kenshin.

Kenshin looked back over his shoulder at the closing gate. "I believe Hiramata-san knew this visit would come. She prepared using all at her disposal. They were almost unnoticeable, but prayer strips lined the house. The advance of her fighting ki even surprised me, she hid it so well. She has a true swordsman's spirit."

"And I don't?" Kaoru said, hands on her hips.

"Oro?"


End file.
